'65 Rag Joint

[Larry B.]

I need to replace my '65 rag joint. Previous owner had Bubba working on the car. Attached is a photo of the joint. Are the upper and lower coupler halves installed correctly? The pins are facing the firewall. If anyone has a photo of one installed correctly, that would be great. I found the upper coupler with the rag from a popular vendor. Can I replace the new upper coupler with the old lower coupler?
Thanks, Larry

[Joe R.]

Re: '65 Rag Joint

Larry,

Do you have tele?

Joe

[Gene M.]

Re: '65 Rag Joint

Larry, your coupling looks fine. The 64/65 use a longer type rag joint. The later 67 type are short style. Why would you want to change it? The castings on the coupling could be bead blasted to remove rust. Then oil them to maintain the raw finish. The two bolts and nuts could be refinished too. Be careful with the copper strap that contacts thru the coupling for a ground. The lock down bolts with 12 points can be refinished black oxide or replaced with new ones.

[Timothy B.]

Re: '65 Rag Joint

Larry,

Your rag joint is installed correctly. You can replace the upper half and reuse the lower half, no problem.

Be careful if you remove the lower half from the splines because it's clocked to the spline so everything is straight when steering wheel is straight. There should be a punch mark on the face of the worm gear spline and that lines with the split in the lower rag.

The upper attachment is as your picture and with everything correctly installed the steering wheel should be straight. If not then the steering wheel is clocked wrong or toe adjustment is not set correct.

Many times these old rag joints wear around the bolt holes and you get play in the steering wheel.

[Page C.]

Re: '65 Rag Joint

It appears to me that the lower half of the rag joint is too close to the steering box and I don't know how this can happen. Most appear to have about 3/8 of an inch clearance between the box and lower coupler.The steering box shaft has a machined groove around it that the clamp bolt needs to pass thru. This locates the lower half of the rag joint in relation to the steering box. This installation has the rag joint in a streched position. The pins in the lower half are not protuding thru slots in the upper half.This a safety feature in case the rag joint material fails
Regards,
Page Campbell

[Don H.]

Re: '65 Rag Joint

here is the rag joint on my 65 365 hp car. Gene would know best if mine is correct or yours is. I see that the studs on the lower half protrude further past the slots in the upper half on mine than on yours. I do not know which is "correct"

[Gary R.]

Re: '65 Rag Joint

I need to replace my '65 rag joint. Previous owner had Bubba working on the car. Attached is a photo of the joint. Are the upper and lower coupler halves installed correctly? The pins are facing the firewall. If anyone has a photo of one installed correctly, that would be great. I found the upper coupler with the rag from a popular vendor. Can I replace the new upper coupler with the old lower coupler?
Thanks, Larry

Larry
Looking at your box, you're going to need new gears. Look at the lash screw,it's buried in the cover not ever a thread showing. If the steering is still snug you're lucky. If there is play on center then that's the problem.

[Larry B.]

Re: '65 Rag Joint

Thanks everyone! Don, I think your photo is the way a rag joint should look. Mine does not even have the pins going through the coupling. I will purchase the upper coupling with the rag.

[Don H.]

Re: '65 Rag Joint

Larry,
while you are buying fix up parts, I would replace your clutch return spring, and attach it in the proper hole 1/2 way down the cross bar arm, and replace the missing cotter pin in the upper pivot point, where the current spring is attached now. Bubba messed with that too....
Best
Don

[Jim S.]

Re: '65 Rag Joint

Here is a drawing of the 1963-66 Corvette standard strg column coupling & flange assembly. I have one end labeled column end with the extended head bolts pointing toward the column (nuts on the gear side.) However, I have tried to reconstruct where I got the information as to gear versus strg column side of the coupling assembly. Right now I can't find any hard information other than the fact that all of my Saginaw flex coupling drawings for all years and models (over a dozen) have the gear attachment on the left in the side view of the assembly.


The steering column shaft must have had a super long spline area. Both of your in-vehicle pictures would seem to have the steering column connection right on the very tip of the column shaft. Please tell my that you have the splined shaft safely attached with a good amount of overlap.
Jim

[Page C.]

Re: '65 Rag Joint

Hi Larry,
I agree with Gary. The problem is NOT the rag joint. It's the steering box.
Regards,
Page Campbell

[John H.]

Re: '65 Rag Joint

The steering column shaft must have had a super long spline area. Both of your in-vehicle pictures would seem to have the steering column connection right on the very tip of the column shaft. Please tell my that you have the splined shaft safely attached with a good amount of overlap.
Jim

Jim -

Was there a period of time when the '63-'66 standard column rag joint didn't have the "pins"? I've seen several like that (see photo below) that just have rivets, with no pins extending from them.

[Jim D.]

Re: '65 Rag Joint

This is an original on a 65 with tele.

[Larry B.]

Re: '65 Rag Joint

Great Drawing. Thanks Jim.

Here is a drawing of the 1963-66 Corvette standard strg column coupling & flange assembly. I have one end labeled column end with the extended head bolts pointing toward the column (nuts on the gear side.) However, I have tried to reconstruct where I got the information as to gear versus strg column side of the coupling assembly. Right now I can't find any hard information other than the fact that all of my Saginaw flex coupling drawings for all years and models (over a dozen) have the gear attachment on the left in the side view of the assembly.


The steering column shaft must have had a super long spline area. Both of your in-vehicle pictures would seem to have the steering column connection right on the very tip of the column shaft. Please tell my that you have the splined shaft safely attached with a good amount of overlap.
Jim

[Don H.]

Re: '65 Rag Joint

Jim -

Was there a period of time when the '63-'66 standard column rag joint didn't have the "pins"? I've seen several like that (see photo below) that just have rivets, with no pins extending from them.

John
your unit has pins, and looks identical to mine, just cleaner. The pins are on the sides.